By Star-Bulletin Staff

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
A cone marks the base of a light post that fell into
two H-1 westbound lanes near Pearl City. The post
may have been hit; tire tracks were slightly visible.

Light pole falls on H-1,
causes 14-car pileup

Fourteen cars were involved in an early-morning accident on the H-1 Freeway west of the Pearl City offramp, near the Sears distribution warehouse.

Police said the accident was caused when a light pole fell into two westbound lanes about 2:45 a.m. There were no apparent injuries.

For a while, all westbound lanes before the Pearl City on-ramp were closed while maintenance crews cleaned up oil spilled from the accident. Traffic was temporarily diverted to the Waimalu offramp.

Hot line set up for Kim,
Hannemann constituents

Residents in the City Council districts formerly represented by Donna Mercado Kim and Mufi Hannemann have been given a "hot line" number with the Department of Customer Service that they can call with their concerns.

That number is 527-6076.

Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura also reminded residents of Council districts 7 and 8 that the staffs of both Kim and Hannemann remain in place until replacements are elected and installed in mid-October.

The staff for District 7, which runs from Kalihi to a portion of Halawa including Salt Lake and Moanalua, can be reached at 547-7007.

The staff for District 8, which runs from Halawa to Waipahu, including all of Aiea and Pearl City, can be reached at 547-7008.

Yoshimura said the new hotline was established "so that residents would have another point of contact to address their concerns, especially for those residents who are unclear about what specific department to call."

Seniors' groups, others
welcome at aging conference

Dr. Stephen B. Fawcett of the University of Kansas, a specialist on health promotion and community development, will give the keynote speech at a conference on aging Sept. 28-29 at the East-West Center.

The conference, "Harmonizing Community Voices," will showcase community efforts in developing/implementing grass-roots solutions to aging, health and long term care issues in Hawaii.

The State Executive Office on Aging, under a Hawaii Community Foundation grant, has organized the County Area Agencies on Aging and other agencies to coordinate the event.

Fawcett, University of Kansas Distinguished Professor of Community Leadership and Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development, and other experts will present their ideas and help those who want to make a difference for seniors in their communities.

Senior clubs, centers and other organizations and residents concerned with the well-being of seniors are invited.

To obtain a registration packet and more information, call: City and County of Honolulu Elderly Affairs Division, 523-4361; Kauai County Elderly Affairs Office, 241-6400; Maui County Office on Aging, 270-7755; Hawaii County Office on Aging, 961-8600.

Disability conference will
focus on civil rights, employment

Laws affecting disabled people and their access to facilities, civil rights and employment will be the focus of the 2000 Conference on Disability Access next month.

Chief U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra and attorney Leigh-Wai Doo will be luncheon speakers at the event Sept. 26-27 at Blaisdell exhibition hall.

Information on registration is available from each county's office of the state Disability and Communication Access Board. The fee is $90 with lunch, $60 without lunch, for registration by Sept. 8. A limited number of scholarships are available.

The board and other agencies serving disabled people are sponsors of the conference.

Third absentee polling
site announced

A site at Windward Mall next to the satellite city hall will be the third walk-in absentee polling place on Oahu, the city clerk's office has announced.

The other two locations are the Honolulu Hale courtyard and the Pearlridge satellite city hall. Ballots for all Oahu voters will be available at each of the sites.

The absentee polling places will be open from Sept. 11-21 for the primary, and from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 for the general election. The Honolulu Hale and Windward Mall locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Pearlridge site will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Philip Morris rep to
address advertising federation

Philip Morris Management Corp.'s regional director of state government affairs will speak at a luncheon meeting in Waikiki on Sept. 6.

Michael L. Carpenter will discuss "Rebuilding a Corporate Reputation" at the meeting, to be held by the Hawaii Advertising Federation.

He is responsible for directing and coordinating the company's state and local government affair activities in California and Hawaii for its food, beer and tobacco businesses.

Carpenter will speak on how Philip Morris' approach to communications has changed over the years, focusing on the lessons it has learned and how it will affect the company's approach to its business, its employees and the public.

Carpenter will address the landmark agreement that settled state lawsuits against the tobacco industry. He will also discuss Philip Morris' youth smoking prevention program, its corporate Web site and a television advertising campaign launched last year.

The Philip Morris family of companies is the world's largest producer and marketer of consumer packaged goods, which includes Kraft Foods Inc. and Miller Brewing Co.

The session at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom is open to the public at a cost of $45. The reservation deadline by fax to 532-0560 is Aug. 31.

Kimura named court's administrative judge

District Judge George Kimura has been assigned administrative judge for Honolulu District Court by Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon.

He assumes the duties formerly handled by Judge Marcia Waldorf, who has been administrative judge since June 1995. She will remain a District Court judge.

Kimura joined the state courts in 1984 as a per diem judge. He has been a full-time District Court judge on Oahu since 1998.

FAA award to improve Hilo, Kona airports

The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded the state $8.7 million to improve the Hilo Airport terminal and $5 million to expand the apron at Kona Airport at Keahole.

The 25-year-old roof at the Hilo Airport is leaking and damaging ceiling tiles. The roof and siding also contain hazardous asbestos impregnated into the metal coating.

The ramp parking area for general aviation aircraft at Kona airport will be expanded.

Kmart holds fund drive Saturday for Goodwill

Kmart will make a $5,000 contribution to Goodwill Industries for a new truck.

Kmart employees are asking the public to fill it with clothing, furniture and household goods. The donation drive for Goodwill Industries will be at Big Kmart at 500 N. Nimitz Highway on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Maui bicyclist struck from behind by truck

WAILUKU -- A Lahaina man was in critical condition at Maui Memorial Hospital, after the bicycle he was riding was struck from the rear by a pickup truck in West Maui.

The 31-year-old man was riding his bicycle on the inside lane of the two lanes traveling north on Honoapiilani Highway when the crash occurred at 7:39 p.m. yesterday near Kenui Street in Lahaina, according to police officer Gregg Katayama.

Katayama said police officers are investigating whether speed, alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash.

Two men steal man's watch, Nike shoes

HILO -- Police are asking for the public's help in finding two men who stole a man's wristwatch and shoes, they said.

The 18-year-old victim was standing at a bus stop on Lanikaula Street about 6:30 p.m. Monday when two men came up from behind him and punched him. They took his Nike shoes and wristwatch and left, heading toward an apartment complex.

Both attackers were in their 20s. One was about 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, with blond hair in a buzz cut.

Anyone with information is asked to call 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

Driver loses car, money to hooded gunman

A man wearing a hood stole a car after confronting the driver in Campbell Industrial Park yesterday.

The suspect used a handgun in the 3:30 p.m. robbery and got away with an undetermined amount of cash, police said.

Boy, 9, critically injured, police arrest father

PAHOA, Hawaii -- A 9-year-old boy is in critical condition and his father is in custody following a case of abuse late Tuesday night, police said.

Police found the child unresponsive at a Pahoa home. He was flown to Kapiolani Medical Center in extremely critical condition, they said.

The father was arrested and is being held pending further investigation.

Counterfeit $20 bills are showing up in Puna

HILO -- Big Island police are warning the public about counterfeit $20 bills seen in the Puna District.

They are good reproductions of the new bills with large portraits, but lack the watermark and polymer strip that can be seen on real bills by holding them up to the light, they said.

Anyone who receives such a bill is asked to call 935-3311.

Small house destroyed by fire on Big Island

ORCHIDLAND, Hawaii -- Fire of unknown cause destroyed a small house in Orchidland subdivision south of Hilo about 11 p.m. yesterday, the Fire Department said.

The value was put at $75,000.

A man with burned hands told officials he was moving into the house and the owner is on Maui, but left without giving his name or other details.